Mobile track tamper



Unite States Patet Franz Plasser;

Josef Theurer, Johannesgasse 3, Vienna 1., Austria [21] Appl. No. 734,701

[22] Filed June 5, 1968 [45] Patented Oct. 20, 1970 [32] Priority June 14, 1967 [3 3] Austria [72] lnventors [54] MOBILE TRACK TAMPER 1 1 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 104/12 [51] lnt.Cl E01l 2 7 1 6 E01b 27/20 [50] Field of Search 104/12, 7(B), 10 1 2 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,011,454 12/1961 Plasser et al. 104/12 3,120,194 2/1964 Plasser et al. 104/12 3,134,339 5/1964 Plasser et al. 104/7(B)UX 3,146,727 9/1964 Plasser et al. 104/12 3,292,558 12/1966 Oville 104/12 3,343,497 9/1967 Stewart 104/12 3,426,697 2/1969 Stewart 104/12 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,3 24,658 6/1962 France H 104/12 1,173,922 7/1964 Germany 104/12 Primary Examiner-Arthur L. La Point Assistant ExaminerRichard A. Bertsch Attorney-Kurt Kelman ABSTRACT: In a track tamper, two groups of tamping tools are mounted on a vertically adjustable carrier adjacent each other in the direction of track elongation, and the tamping tools are laterally movable along an axis or pivotal in a plane extending transversely of the track. The spacing of the groups of tools in the direction of track elongation is such that adjacent ones of the tools of the adjacent ground may be immersed in the ballast in the interspace between adjacent ties.

Patented Oct. 20, 1970 L huh. D L w INVENTORS. FkRuL @LAsseR oss F THGLLRER AGEMT MOBILE TRACK TAMPER BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to mobile track tampers par ticularly useful at track crossings or switch points. Since tracks have added rail parts at such locations, it has been found difficult to immerse the tamping tools mounted on a vertically adjustable carrier on the machine frame of tampers in the ballast and to operate the tools during the tamping operating without making contact with parts of the track, thus possibly causing damage to such parts and/or to the tools.

Many efforts have been made to produce mobile machines adapted for tamping as well as grading and/or lining of such difficult track sections by mounting the tamping tools adjustably so that at least their lower parts may be accurately aimed into the ballast out of contact with adjacent track parts.

It is a primary object of the present invention to improve mobile track tampers of this general type so as to tamp two adjacent ties simultaneously and in a single operation without interference of the tamping operation by the irregular track direction at switch points or crossings, or the additional track parts at such locations. This is accomplished with an arrangement wherein one group of tamping tools is associated with each of two adjacent ties so that each tamping tool group tamps one tie, and the adjacent groups of tamping tools may be adjustably staggered in relation to each other in respect of the direction of elongation of the track.

This and other objects and advantages are achieved according to this invention by mounting two groups of tamping tools on a vertically adjustable tamping tool carrier mounted on a machine frame running on wheels on the track. The two groups of tamping tools are adjacent each other in the direction of elongation of the track, and the tamping tools are laterally adjustable in a plane extending transversely of the track elongation, for instance by being movable along an axis and/or pivotal in this plane in respect of the track. The spacing of the groups of tools in the direction of track elongation is such that adjacent tools of the adjacent groups may be immersed in the ballast in the interspace between adjacent ties for tamping the ballast underneath the two adjacent track ties.

With such an arrangement, the tamping tools may be so adjusted before immersion in the ballast that any contact with track parts is avoided and the tools are properly positioned in relation to the adjacent ties for tamping. The lateral adjustment of the tamping tools may be effected for each tool independently and/or by a common adjustment of all tools in unison. Common adjustment may be achieved in accordance with the invention by mounting the tools on a common carrier means which is movable along an axis and/or pivotal in a plane extending transversely of the track elongation. Independent adjustment of each tool may be additionally or alternatively provided by mounting each tool for such movement or pivot- If the tamper is to be used for track lining, track shifting means may be mounted on such a laterally movable common carrier means so that its lateral movement may be used for laterally moving the track gripped by the track shifting means.

If the tamper is to be used for track grading, it is important according to the invention to mount them in a minimum space since space is at a premium at a switch point or track crossing. Particularly useful track correction means for shifting as well as lifting the track consists of rail gripping jaws which subtend the rails when closed, such rail gripping jaws to be positioned immediately adjacent, Le. in the range, of the tamping tools.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent in the following detailed description of a specific embodiment thereof incorporated into a mobile track tamper useful for lining and grading track at switch points or crossings, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. I is a schematic top view of the machine stationed at a switch point;

FIG. 2 shows this machine in side view; and

FIG. 3 schematically shows a front view of the arrangement of the laterally adjustable tamping tools.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawing, the ballast tamper comprises a machine frame mounted on wheels for mobility on the track 7 including rails supported on ties 8. The machine frame has a rigid frame portion 1 and a forwardly extending machine frame portion 2 overhanging a track section to be graded and/or lined and tamped to stabilize the corrected track section. The machine frame portion 2 is laterally adjustable transversely of the track elongation by being pivotally mounted on machine on frame portion I for pivoting movement is a horizontal plane, and extends forwardly of the front axle sup porting the rigid machine frame portion.

A structure of this type has been described, for instance, in our copending US. Pat. No. 3,469,534 filed Sept. 20, I967, and No. 3,504,634, filed Nov. 13, I967.

The pivotal machine frame portion 2 carries two laterally movable supports 3,3 which may be moved in respect of the track on a transverse beam 19 on which the supports are glidably journaled. Each support is associated with one of the track rails and carries vertically adjustable tamping tool carrier 4.

In the illustrated embodiment, two groups of tamping tools are mounted on the underside of the tamping tool carriers adjacent each other in the direction of track elongation, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, and the spacing of the tamping tool groups in the direction of track elongation is such that adjacent ones of the tools of the adjacent groups may be immersed in the ballast in the interspace between adjacent ones of the ties 8. Such an arrangement is shown, for instance, in our US. Pat. Nos. 3,357,366 and 3,372,651 wherein each group of tamping tools consists of a pair of pairs of opposed tamping tools, the opposed tools of each pair being arranged for immersion in the ballast adjacent one tie and for reciprocation in the direction of elongation of the track towards and away from the one tie, which is positioned between the opposed tools. The spacing between the adjacent pairs of tools is such that the tools of the adjacent pairs which are adjacent each other are at a smaller distance from each other than the distance between adjacent ties.

In accordance with the present invention, the tamping tools are laterally adjustable in a plane extending transversely of the track elongation, in addition to being grouped in the abovedescribed manner.

A specific embodiment of this lateral adjustment of the tamping tools is shown by way of example in FIG. 3. The common carrier I6 for all tamping tools 5 is mounted for vertical movement in the directions of the indicated arrow along a guide rail 18 fixedly mounted on each support 3. The upper ends of the tamping tools are mounted on carrier 16 on pivots arranged in a common axis extending in the direction of the track elongation for pivoting the tools about this axis by means of hydraulic motors 17 in a plane transverse of the track elongation, the pivoting movement of the tools being indicated in chain-dotted lines. As indicated in this FIG. and as is conventional, each group of tamping tools includes a pair of longitudinally reciprocating tools at each side of rail 7 to tamp the ballast all around the rail under the ties 8, the tools of each pair in each group being moved together towards the tie lying between the tools of each pair to compact the ballast underneath the tie.

As shown in FIG. 2, each tamping tool carrier support 3 has a seat 6 constituting an operators station so that individual operators may laterally move the support into positions associated with varying positions of the track rail which is to be tamped, such positioning of the support 3 being indicated in FIG. 1 in connection with a rail crossing and switch point. By laterally moving support 3 and/or suitably pivoting all or some of the tamping tools, whose hydraulic motors may be operated independently of each other, the operator will be able to avoid any contact of the tamping tools with the track and to guide the tools properly into the ballast adjacent the ties when the tamping tool carrier is lowered, thus preventing damage to the track and/or to the tools.

At a crossing, as shown in FIG. 1, the pivotal front portion 2 of the machine frame is first moved in a horizontal plane to adjust to the other track elongation, and the supports'3 are then individually adjusted in the direction transverse to that of the other track elongation to avoid contact of the lowered tamping tools with any special track parts present at crossings.

' Further adjustment is then effected, if needed, by pivoting individual tamping tools to avoid all obstacles and to immerse each tool into the ballast out of contact with track parts. In this manner, each tool can be carefully aimed" into the ballast according to local track configurations.

FIG. 2 also schematically shows track correction means mounted on pivotal machine frame portion 2, the illustrated correction means being constituted by a track lifting device 15. This device may preferably take the form of pairs of rail gripping jaws operable to open and close in a plane extending transversely of the track elongation and to subtend a respective rail of the track upon closing. This device is mounted in the range of the tamping tools and is vertically adjustable in unison therewith. A track lifting device of this type is fully disclosed and claimed in our copending US. Pat. No. 3,392,678, filed Apr. 4, 1966. However, other types of track lifting devices and/or track shifting devices may be used within the scope of this invention, the specific track correction means forming no part of the invention, except as combined with its other features.

Also, if the machine carries track lifting devices and can thus be used for track grading, it may include a convention reference system including a reference beam 11 extending between a sender (or receiver) and a receiver (or sender) 12, the beam end 10 being arranged on a front bogie 9 and the beam end 12 being arranged on a vertical support rod 13 resting directly on a previously graded track section. The stop 14 is mounted on the track section to be graded and, in cooperatng with the reference beam, controls the grading, M. the lifting of the track, all in a known manner. Obviously, if the machine also carried track shifting means for use as a track liner, reference means for controlling the lateral shifting of the track would also be provided in a manner well known per se.

While a specific embodiment has been described and illustrated, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosed invention, which provides an arrangement for simultaneously and in a single operation the ballast underneath adjacent ties at points which are spaced from each other in the general direction of the elongation of the ties. With such an arrangement, it is possible to tamp at difficult track points, such as switch points and crossings, after grading and/or lining, if desired. In a lining operation, the lateral movement of the machine frame portion 2 and/or the supports 3 can be used for correspondingly moving a track gripped by suitable track shifting means during this lateral movement. If necessary, such coarse lining may be followed by a more accurate lining.

We claim:

1. In a mobile track tamper for tamping ballast underneath a track including rails supported on ties, comprising a machine frame mounted on wheels for mobility on the track, a track correction means mounted on the machine frame, a vertically adjustable tamping tool carrier mounted on the machine frame, and two groups of tamping tools mounted on the carrier adjacent each other in the direction of track elongation, the spacing of said groups of tools in the direction of track elongation being such that adjacent ones of the tools of the adjacent groups may be immersed in the ballast in the interspace between adacent ones of the ties, and the tamping tools of at least one 0 said groups being independently laterally adjustable in a plane extending transversely ofthe track elongation.

2. In the mobile track tamper of claim I, the tamping tools being movable along an axis in said plane in respect of said track.

3. In the mobile track tamper of claim 1, the tamping tools being pivotal in said plane in respect of said track.

4. In the mobile track tamper of claim 1, wherein the upper ends of the tamping tools are mounted on the tamping tool carrier on pivots arranged in a common axis extending in the direction of track elongation for pivoting the tools about said axis in said plane.

5. In the mobile track tamper of claim I, further comprising means for correcting the position of the track, and reference means for controlling the track position.

6. In the mobile track tamper of claim I, wherein the tamping tool carrier is mounted on a machine frame portion which is laterally adjustable transversely of the track.

7. In the mobile track tamper of claim 6, wherein the track correction means is a track lifting device and said machine frame portion is pivotally mounted on the machine frame for pivoting movement in a horizontal plane.

8. In the mobile track tamper of claim 6, wherein the track correction means is a track lifting device and said machine frame portion is laterally movable on the machine frame in respect of the track.

9. In the mobile track tamper of claim 6, wherein said machine frame portion is pivotally mounted on the machine frame for pivoting movement in a horizontal plane, and further comprising a support laterally movable on the pivotal machine frame portion in respect of the track, the support carrying the tamping tool carrier and the track correction means,

10. In the mobile track tamper of claim 6, wherein the track correction means includes pairs of rail gripping jaws operable to open and close in a plane extending transversely of the track elongation and to subtend a respective rail of the track upon closing.

11. In the mobile track tamper of claim 10, said pairs of rail gripping jaws being mounted in the range of the tamping tools and being vertically adjustable in unison therewith. 

